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For all your birding needs

Grab a Birdwatching Backpack!

Spring is finally here, so why not go for a walk with one of our birdwatching backpacks? These handy kits come with binoculars and birding guides, and are perfect for a weekend getaway or an afternoon stroll.

Borrow one today
two individuals immersed in nature, standing with their backs to the camera. One is using binoculars to look for bird, and the other holds a camera. The one with binoculars is also wearing a green backpack with the Penn logo visible.

Using the Library

Quick Start Guide

Search the Franklin Catalog

Use Franklin to find books, journal articles, databases, CDs and DVDs, and anything else in the Penn Libraries collections.

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Get Off-Campus Access

Need to access subscription materials like journals, databases, and ebooks when you’re not on campus? Check out our cheat sheet.

Looking at a laptop screen displaying the homepage of the Criterion Collection.

Request Scans

Our library staff can scan book chapters and articles for quick delivery directly to your inbox.

A person sits at a large scanner scanning a book

Receive Books by Mail

When you register for Books By Mail, you can request to have books sent to your off-campus address anywhere in the United States.

A library staff member puts books on a cart in Van Pelt Library.

Ask a Question Anytime

Explore our archive of Frequently Asked Questions. Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Submit your question anytime, and we’ll respond within 24 hours.

A person sitting on a bench outside looking at their phone.

Book a Consultation

Book an in-person or virtual consultation with a librarian or technology consultant with expertise in your field of study, copyright, digital fabrication, or statistical and design software.

A person sits in front of a laptop, pointing at a large historical document that is under a large format camera

Browse our spaces

Explore our array of flexible and innovative spaces, from collaborative or quiet study spots to classrooms designed for active learning and equipped with the latest technology.

People studying by the felt wall of the Reading Room. Cushioned seats and reading lamps line the long wooden tables.

Reserve a room

Already know exactly which room you need? Head directly to our room reservation system.

Rolling chairs surrounding a long conference table. There is a rolling whiteboard in the room as well as large windows that provide a view of campus.

Explore our library locations

Like to study in the middle of the night? Need specialized databases at your fingertips? Looking for a location close to your classes? Find out how to visit all our library locations across campus—and beyond—and discover which one suits your needs best. 

Aerial view of Penn's quad, showing Van Pelt Library and the Fisher Fine Arts Library.

Featured Collections

The Penn Libraries' global collections encompass hundreds of languages and scripts across a broad range of subject areas, preserving the rich cultural and scholarly record from Africa, East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. Read about some of our unique recent acquisitions.

Photograph of stack of Chinese books.

Exploring Chinese Internet Literature

To more accurately reflect the diversity of literature in China, the Penn Libraries has made a special effort to add recent internet novels that have been published in print form to our collection.

Upcoming Events

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Group of 7 people taking a selfie after a walk
April 16, 2024

Penn Walks 2 Wellness

Each Tuesday we will meet between The Button and the Ben Franklin Statue outside of Van Pelt Library.

This semester we invite participants to join us for a walk and are invited to share their interests and stories.

  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  • Outside Van Pelt Library, Between the Button and Ben Franklin statue
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
image of a floral decorative pattern in yellow on green textile
April 16, 2024

Printing Decorative Paper: An Open Studio Event

Stop by the Common Press anytime between noon and 6 p.m. to print a two-color decorative patterned paper. This event is in collaboration with the Fisher Fine Arts Library’s exhibition Victorian Maximalism in Wallpaper Design. No prior experience is required!

  • 12:00pm - 6:00pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library (Lower Level)
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Logo of stata
  • Workshop
April 16, 2024

Introduction to Stata

This workshop will introduce you to the basics of Stata, a software package for statistical data analysis. It will cover importing and editing data sets and provide an overview of commonly used statistical procedures. 

  • 3:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Research Data and Digital Scholarship Exchange, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (1st floor)
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff